


Dwelling

by fineh



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: Deleted Scenes, F/M, post 2.11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:03:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineh/pseuds/fineh
Summary: Schneider rarely spends time feeling sorry for himself. Sure, some shitty things have happened to him, but he makes it a point to not to dwell on it. If he dwells, then he sinks. He’s sunk too many times.





	Dwelling

**Author's Note:**

> This pretty much because of this one ring Schneider always wears.

Schneider rarely spends time feeling sorry for himself. Sure, some shitty things have happened to him, but he makes it a point to not to dwell on it. If he dwells, then he sinks. He’s sunk too many times.

Instead, he keeps it positive. Smiles about his distant dad, jokes about his addiction, and surrounds himself with people and hobbies. The only vice he allows himself is sex. At least until recently, after that disastrous attempt to numb his junk, he's become monogamous in a way. He doesn't seek out sex, but it's okay when it shows up at his door in the shape of Nikki.

Schneider doesn't dwell, but here he is dwelling. Sitting in an empty stairwell at Elena's and Alex's homecoming, spinning the only connection he has to a mother he can’t remember and feeling sorry for himself. The silver ring is the only constant in his life aside from his father's continuous disappointment. 

Who cares if Nikki rejected him? They’d never been serious, but it still stung to be reminded that some people just didn’t care about you. They care so little they’ll say it straight to your face.

“This seat taken?” It's the first time he's seen Penelope alone all night. The dance is winding down and she's ditched the black robe and high heels and tied her hair up. She looks ready to head home, but instead, she's asking to sit next to him which means something is up. Something she’s trying to hide behind that perfect smile.

“Go for it.” Scooting over he makes room for her on the dirty step. There’s not much space in the stairwell, and she presses close, laying her head on his shoulder. It’s a welcome weight. Penelope’s presence is always comforting, one of the reason’s she such a good nurse. Her first instinct is to protect other people.

Right now, his instincts are going off too. Her resting against him isn’t weird, they’re best friends. The thing is, Penelope comforts, but she doesn’t seek comfort, it’s not what she does. Schneider wants to pry, but Penelope’s a straight shooter, if she wanted to talk about it, they would be talking about it.

“You could have told me you know?”

"Told you what." There are a million things he holds back.

“The hours. You’re doing _it_ with her, she must have said something.”

Ah, the Finn’s mom of it all.

“C’mon Pen, you know that I would have told you if I knew. Besides,” He wiggles his eyebrows in the way he knows annoys her, “we don’t really talk.”

Soaking up the moment Schneider laughs as she shoves him against the railing. He’s missed this. Missed this Penelope. The one who’s thriving and having fun, enjoying life and its occasional uncertainties.

“I promise, I would have told you.” Throwing his arm over her shoulder, she shrugs it off like he expected her to.

“Just like you told me about our two garages?”

“Okay, that’s not fair! That was all your mom. I honestly thought you liked walking.”

“Yeah, I enjoy walking ten blocks after a long ass day." Dodging an elbow to the ribs, he scoots away, Penelope tugs him back using him as a headrest. Schneider tries to ignore how good her hair smells, it's a mix of citrus and a scent that he associates with Lydia.

“I think she did it on purpose.”

“Lydia’s lived there longer than you, she wasn’t about to give up her secret space.”

“Not her, Nikki. She never texted or emailed me about the hours.”

He wouldn’t put it past her. “It probably was. She’s that type of person.”

“What kind of person is she?”

Schneider tries hard not to bad mouth people. It’s not his job to judge people, not that he’s ever been able to do it. Spending most of his life alone, drunk, or high doesn’t exactly lend to a perfect person. But with Nikki, he does have some room to talk.

"Selfish, soul-crushing, the worst."

“Remind me again why you’re with her?”

Loneliness. Low self-esteem. Daddy issues. Mommy issues. Step-Mommy issues.

“I’m not.” And... he’s back to twisting his ring. The ring he’d almost tainted for someone who wasn’t worth it. “I asked her to marry me. She laughed in my face and told me she was just using me.”

“That sucks. I'm sorry." Sitting up she presses a quick kiss to his forehead, rubbing at the spot soothingly. “But you actually proposed to her? Like, got down on one knee and everything?" Penelope's worked up, hands flailing and everything. "I thought you were joking.” 

“So did I.” He’s not sure what possessed him. “I don’t know, I guess I thought it was time. Everyone I know is pairing up. You and Max, Leslie and Lydia, Elena and Syd. Even Alex has someone.”

“Yeah, that didn’t really work out.”

“Oh?” His interest is peaked.

“What happened?”

“I’ll tell you later, right now we’re talking about you.” She pokes his chest for emphasis. “Talk to me, Schneider. For someone who talks about being single forever, you look super bummed.”

“I don’t know what it is. I’ve been feeling weird lately. Lost. Lonely. It’s stupid, I’m forty-one and I still haven’t found out what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

“Yeah,” Penelope scoffs. “I have no idea what that feels like.”

“It’s different. You’ve actually achieved stuff.” He’s thought about it a lot since Penelope brought it up. “I’ve always just floated around, the only thing that has really stuck is the building." Even in his hazes, he's managed to keep it afloat. He even bought it back from his father a couple of years ago. It’s his. After trial and error, he's learned the building isn’t what’s keeping him sober. It’s all him.

But lately, it’s different. Training Elena has drilled in the fact that he doesn’t feel as attached anymore and it scares him. “I don’t know, Pen, it’s making me itchy.” Scratching at his arm, he turns to Penelope, “Can we change the subject?”

Penelope stares at him a moment longer before nodding, “Yeah, but first, let me say this. It’s normal. If you want to do something else, do it. Look at me, I'm in school right now.”

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that…" He's not the best student. His attention span is non-existent.

“You don’t have to go to school to figure out what it is you want to do Schneider.” She curls an arm around him and it’s exactly what he needs. “Take your time. You have plenty of it. We’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“Thanks, Pen.”

“No problem Schneider.” Penelope holds him tighter, her arm barely making around his waist.

“So…” He hedges, “you want to talk about it?”

Sighing, she burrows further into him, “Not even at all.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I just want to enjoy things. If I think about it too much I’ll go crazy. I can obsess about it tomorrow.”

“Can’t argue with that. C’mon,” Untangling himself, Schneider stands, dusting off his pants. “Let’s go find your mom and kids.” He offers her a hand up and she takes it. “Maybe we’ll convince the DJ to play you some Boyz II Men.”

They walk back to the gymnasium together past Nikki's poster which still lies on the ground. Penelope stares as they step over it. 

“Was that you?”

Popping his collar, he strikes a pose. “You know it.”

“Idiot.” Her voice is fond and it’s enough to make this hellish night worth it.

“I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> find me here on [tumblr](http://finehs.tumblr.com)


End file.
